Pipe Supports - manufacturing terms

It is essential to understand the terms used in the pipeline industry to describe pipe supports. Many terms are often used interchangeably, so it is important to use them consistently.

Adjustable Pipe Support A Adjustable Pipe Support is a versatile structural component that securely holds and stabilizes piping systems while allowing for precise height and positioning adjustments.

Base Support Base Supports are stationary supports that are seated on a floor or structure and provide a stable base to hold pipes in place, transfer loads, and resist vertical movements. These supports usually consist of a base component and can be structured as a post, upright, studs, or bracket, and are often used for static pipes where minimal movement is expected.

Beam Clamp A Beam Clamp is a mechanical device used to securely attach loads or lifting equipment to structural steel beams without the need for drilling or welding. There are various types of beam clamps that are essential in hoisting, lifting, and structural support applications in many different industries.

Bracket A Bracket support is a commonly used pipe support used to secure a pipe to a surrounding structure such as a wall, floor, or ceiling. Brackets hold pipes in place, prevent excessive movement, sagging, and damage from weight and vibration, and are available in a variety of shapes and materials for different types of pipes and environments.

Clevis A Clevis support, also known as a clevis hanger, is a pipe support designed to suspend horizontal pipes from an overhead source, such as a ceiling or beam, allowing for vertical adjustment and some limited movement within the piping system.

Constant Support Hanger A Constant Support Hanger is a specially designed hanger that is designed to move up and down many inches with minimal change in the support load.

Cryogenic Pipe Support Cryogenic Pipe Supports,often called Cold Shoes, are common components of low-temperature pipelines such as those found in liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing facilities and other pipelines involved in liquefying other gases.

Dummy Leg A Dummy Leg support is a section of pipe that serves as a support between a pipeline and a nearby support point.

Eye Rod A Eye Rod is a metal rod with a threaded end and an oval-shaped loop or “eye” at one end, used in pipe hanger assemblies to attach to a clamp or structure and provide support for pipes or other equipment.

Eye Socket A Eye Socket is a device for attaching a threaded suspension rod to another part through a bolt.

Flat Bar A Flat Bar is, as the name suggests, a flat piece of steel in a rectangular shape, with square edges, and available in various sizes.

Flat Plate Flat Plate is a type of metal profile characterized by its rectangular cross-section and relatively wide surface. It is produced by rolling or pressing a piece of steel flat, resulting in a shape with straight edges and uniform thickness. Note: not to be confused with flat bar.

Guide A Guide is a device that allows a pipe to move in a predetermined direction while restricting its movement in other directions.

Hydraulic Shock Absorber A Hydraulic Shock Absorber, also known as a snubber, is a mechanical support that uses hydraulic fluid to control and absorb the energy of shocks and vibrations, thereby dampening movements and preventing damage to machinery or structures.

Line Stop A Line Stop is a pipe guide that limit movement in two directions and protect pipes from bending and buckling.

Pipe Anchor(fixed) A Pipe Anchor (fixed) is a rigid pipe support designed to completely restrain the movement of a pipe in all three dimensions (vertical, lateral and axial) and in all three directions of rotation.

Pipe Clamp A Pipe Clamp is a fastener that securely attaches a pipe to a structure. This provides stability and alignment, and allows for the necessary movement and expansion within the system.

Pipe Clip A Pipe Clip is a pipe clamp that secures, restrains, or guides pipes in a fixed position, commonly for plumbing, heating, or electrical applications.

Pipe Hanger A Pipe Hanger is a device that suspends a piping system from a structure and supports the load under tension. These hangers are available in a wide variety of types. The image below shows an adjustable steel band hanger.

Hanger Assembly A Hanger Assembly is a collection of composite components that together form a pipe clamp, pipe support, fastener, anchor, guide, etc.

Pipe Roller Support A Pipe Roller Support is designed to support pipes in applications where horizontal movement due to expansion and contraction occurs.

Pipe Saddle Support A Pipe Saddle Support is a pipe saddle is a structure consisting of a saddle and an integrated base. This is used to support the pipe by transferring the load or forces to the adjacent structure.

Pipe Shield A Pipe Shield is a protective component used to protect the insulation and minimize penetration of the sheath at suspension points on insulated pipes.

Pipe Shoe A Pipe Shoe is a specialized, rigid support device attached to the bottom of a pipe to protect it from mechanical damage, prevent corrosion from contact with dissimilar metals, and control thermal expansion.

Rigid Hanger A Rigid Hanger is a type of pipe support that limits vertical and lateral movement to hold hanging pipes in place, usually in systems with minimal thermal expansion.

Riser Clamp A Riser Clamp is a pipe clamp for supporting vertical pipes, with separate load bolts to transfer the load to the rest of the pipe clamp structure.

Sliding Plates Sliding plates are bearing components with a low coefficient of friction consisting of two plates or two sliding surfaces, designed to enable controlled movement while reducing wear and stress in structures such as pipelines, bridges, and industrial equipment. By using materials with a low coefficient of friction, such as PTFE or graphite, sliding plates allow objects to expand, contract, or shift without causing damage to the supporting surface.

Stanchion A Stanchion pipe support is a rigid, upright structural column that transfers the weight of a pipe system directly to a foundation or concrete base, creating a fixed anchor point that prevents movement in any direction (up, down, or sideways).

Threaded Rod A Threaded Rod also known as studding or all-thread, is a long metal rod with spiral threads along its entire length or at both ends.

Three Bolt Pipe Clamp A Three Bolt Pipe Clamp is a pipe clamp typically used for horizontal insulated pipes, with clamp bolts and a separate load bolt for weight transfer.

Trunnion A Trunnion is a short piece of pipe support or structural element to act as a rigid support and transfer the weight and stress of the pipe to an external structure.

Turnbuckle A Turnbuckle is a device with two opposing threads, one clockwise and one counterclockwise, used to adjust the tension or length of cables, ropes, or tie rods by turning the threads.

U-Bolt A U-Bolt is a U-shaped rod with threaded ends, used to attach a pipe to a supporting member.

Variable Spring Hanger A Variable Spring Hanger is a pipe support that allows vertical pipe movement due to thermal expansion or other factors, while providing a varying support force that changes with the compression or expansion of the spring.

Welded Beam Attachment A Welded Beam Attachment is a carbon steel C-shaped bracket that is welded in-place to the underside of a structural beam to provide a robust connection point for pipes or other structural members.

Weldless Eye Nut A Weldless Eye Nut is a forged steel fastener with a loop-shaped head that connects a threaded rod to a pipe, structure, or equipment without a welded joint.

In short, understanding support terminology is crucial in managing any project. Differentiating between a support and a hanger, a fixed point and a sliding point, etc., is essential to prevent structural problems.

Reference(s): several manufacturers and suppliers of pipe supports